Introduction
The larged headed llama is an indirect ancestor to the llama. Its latin name is Hemiauchenia macrocephala. Hermiachenia means migration and is the name of a genus. Macrocephala can be broken down into two parts, macro which means giant and cephala which can be defined as camel. Put together, macrocephala means giant camel.
Extinction pressure
Larged headed llamas lived on earth for around 7 million years, starting to exist in the Miocene Period ten million years ago and becoming extinct by the end of the Pleistocene Period, which happened three millions years before now. The climate was the main influence in their extinction, as the Pliocene Period which took place after the Miocene Period started to have weather changes with the temperature becoming colder and colder. Scientists estimate that by then, glaciers were already covering places located near the equator. The ice age happened during the Pleistocene period and the large headed llama, covered in nothing but a coat made out of short fur, freezed to death or couldn't find food which wasn't frozen so they starved to death.
Habitat
The larged headed llama orginally lived in North America on the Southern Central Plains, otherwised known as the Great Plains. The Central Plain stretched on for more than one million and three hundred kilometres square, across many states such as Florida, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, Washington, Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Animals like the American bison live on the Central Plains. The average temperature on the Southern Central Plains is roughly twenty two degrees celcius back then and the average rainfall is often less than twenty five centimetres, meaning that the place, although at a pleasant temperature will often experience droughts. The Central Plain was relatively flat with fields covered in short grass, the favourite food of the larged headed llama. Tall trees were often seen growing there too, with one of them every couple of dozen of metres, making excellent shelter for the large headed llama to rest under in the summer or when its raining.
The larged headed llama rarely lived alone. It much preferred to share its habitat with others, especially females lammas. A male larged headed lamma have been known to been followed around by more than twenty or more female or young llamas while a male who has not fully matured but is too old to remain in such a group lives with other male larged headed llamas. Just like their llama counterparts, larged headed llamas are willing to support and wait on for each other. For most of their day, the larged headed llama has also been estimated to act much like most camelids, spending most of their time grazing in herds in their territory.
The larged headed llamas decided to migrate to South America for unknown reasons in a process known as the Great American Interchange during the Pliocene period. They walked over the bridge formed by the rising of the Ithumus of Panama connecting the North and South American Continents. They settled at the foot of the Andes mountain where the temperature was not as hot as it was on the Great Plains but the grass was just as plentiful.
After some time in South America, the larged headed llama, because of the slightly colder but wetter environment, started to evolve generation by generation, creating animals like the guacca who has a slightly thicker coat but shorter legs. The Guacca eventually evolved into the current day llama.
Structural Adaptation
1. Teeth and structure of head
A larged headed llama will have two sets of teeth in its lifetime, much like humans, gorillas and.baboons The first set of teeth isn't put into much use, seeing that the larged headed lamma usually feeds from its mother. The second set of teeth however, which finishs growing by the end of its first birthday is comprised of thirty two teeth- a mixture of canines, incisors, premolars and molars, helps the larged headed llama alot when it eats. The canines are used to hold down the grass, the incisors are used to shear the strands apart, the premolars, located bewteen the canine and molars, and the molars are used to grind and chew food.This effective combination breaks down the grass into little shreds before swallowing, meaning that the digestion time will be a lot faster, seeing that a large headed llama often eats up to eight percent of its own weight per day. To add to this, the larged headed llama has a much larger head in proportion to its body than most other animals . This is because they need extremely large muscles attached to their jaws in order to help them chew through long periods of time.
Environmental pressure that caused this specific placement of teeth and the largeness of the head is the type and amount of food they eat. Grass takes a lot to break down because of its steady build and because a large proportion of it is made out of fibre.
2. Size (especially length of neck)
The larged headed llama is the largest camelid on earth to date. Some adult larged headed llamas can reach the height of over three metres measured from head to feet and the average height is two metres and a half. Their average weight is over two hundred kilograms. Since larged headed llamas migrated to the South America to live later on at the period, size became extremely important to them as the snowing in places like the Andes mountain often prevented them from being able to get food. Their bodies, being so large, could store alot of fat for them when there was still some grass left. Their long necks allowed them to reach weeds already covered lightly be snow. Having a long neck also means that they can eat in a much more comfortable position and could escape faster if they spot enemies as their front legs do not need to be bent while eating. Also, it can look, in one glance, over a larger distance then animals with shorter necks.
An environmental pressure which may have formed this particular adaptation is how hard food is to find in the time period larged headed llamas were living in. That and the constant need to stay alert in case they get attacked by predators whilst finding things to eat may have caused them to have a longer neck and a larger torso.
Behavioural Adaptation
1. Communication Method
Larged headed llamas communicate with a unique set of body movements and sounds. For example, when another herd approaches their territory, they will let out a loud and high pitched scream to scare them off. However, if the larged headed llama who approaches is in the herd, the llamas will not only let them pass but also emit a low hum and nuzzle them with their head as a sign of welcome. Another example is when llamas discover something new. Even if the object is not producing any sort of sound, their ears will immediately stand tall and their tails will start wagging as a way to attract their herd's attention. Another obvious posture is when the animal feels threatened by others in the herd. They will stand tall and throw their heads back to make themselves seem stronger.
The environmental pressure that made it neccessary for all larged headed llamas to learn this set of communication method , developed by the llamas themselves, is because that larged headed llamas like to live in herds . In order to show each other what they mean instantly, clear symbols like those listed above are being used.
2. Spitting
Spitting is a unique defense for camels and llamas. A sticky, green, sour (if you happen to taste it) and extremely smelly substance is fired by the camel when it feels threatened. That substance is actually cod taken from the first rumen (refer to physiological adaptation below for the definition for rumen) and is usually half digested grass or hay. As they prepare to launch their attack, their ears will be drawn as back as possible and their heads will be manuveured pretty close to the head of its target so that the chance of missing becomes very low. After the pellet leaves the mouth, a larged headed llamas mouth will usually hang open for the next ten to fifteen minutes as the taste is so bad. That or, if there is more food nearby, it will try to sweeten the feeling of its mouth and gouge its mouth with that. Spitting is normally the last warning it gives whatever is approaching it before attacking it with its legs or trying to ram them with its strong chest. Spitting is a trait carried over to evolved versions of camelids.
Spitting is a way to tell the enemy that a llama is being serious. The environmental pressure which has caused the invention of spitting is because spitting is mostly used on organisms which the larged headed llama do not want to cause bodily harm in the first place, but is annoyed at the way they are acting near them. It is important that spitting exists, because it is often used as a way to discipline younger larged headed llamas while adult larged headed llamas wanted to tell them off, but they in no means, want to hurt them permantly.
Physiological Adaptation
1. Stomach
A larged headed llama's stomach is divided into three compartments.
The first section is known as the rumen and is the place food arrives at once it passes through the esophagus. As the rumen fills up or at the llamas' own leisure, it will regurgitate the food inside it and rechew it strand by strand, further mixing it with their siliva. The rechewed food is known as cud. It is possible to spot the cud travelling up its throat as it regurgitates. Usually, the first compartment of the stomach will retract three to four times per minute for food to go back up to the larged headed llama's mouth. After the food has been rechewed, it is sent down to the second compartment where the same procedure happens to it. In the second compartment, there is also a cell lining which helps ferment the cud. By the time the grass has passed through the third compartment, nearly all nutrients would have been absorbed by the llamas and what remains is made into small pellets ready to be excreted. The same process also happens to any liquids they consume, except that the larged headed llama will not chew on that.
An environmental pressure that could have given rise to this adaption is the fact that food can be hard to find (especially if the llamas are living in the desert and not in grasslands) so holding onto the nutrients becomes extremely important. That or improper digestion which may lead to stomach aches, pain, vomiting and such.
Larged Headed Llama
Introduction
The larged headed llama is an indirect ancestor to the llama. Its latin name is Hemiauchenia macrocephala. Hermiachenia means migration and is the name of a genus. Macrocephala can be broken down into two parts, macro which means giant and cephala which can be defined as camel. Put together, macrocephala means giant camel.
Extinction pressure
Larged headed llamas lived on earth for around 7 million years, starting to exist in the Miocene Period ten million years ago and becoming extinct by the end of the Pleistocene Period, which happened three millions years before now. The climate was the main influence in their extinction, as the Pliocene Period which took place after the Miocene Period started to have weather changes with the temperature becoming colder and colder. Scientists estimate that by then, glaciers were already covering places located near the equator. The ice age happened during the Pleistocene period and the large headed llama, covered in nothing but a coat made out of short fur, freezed to death or couldn't find food which wasn't frozen so they starved to death.
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Tylopoda
Family: Camelidae
Genus: Hermiachenia
Species: Macrocephala
Diagram
Habitat
The larged headed llama orginally lived in North America on the Southern Central Plains, otherwised known as the Great Plains. The Central Plain stretched on for more than one million and three hundred kilometres square, across many states such as Florida, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, Washington, Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Animals like the American bison live on the Central Plains. The average temperature on the Southern Central Plains is roughly twenty two degrees celcius back then and the average rainfall is often less than twenty five centimetres, meaning that the place, although at a pleasant temperature will often experience droughts. The Central Plain was relatively flat with fields covered in short grass, the favourite food of the larged headed llama. Tall trees were often seen growing there too, with one of them every couple of dozen of metres, making excellent shelter for the large headed llama to rest under in the summer or when its raining.
The larged headed llama rarely lived alone. It much preferred to share its habitat with others, especially females lammas. A male larged headed lamma have been known to been followed around by more than twenty or more female or young llamas while a male who has not fully matured but is too old to remain in such a group lives with other male larged headed llamas. Just like their llama counterparts, larged headed llamas are willing to support and wait on for each other. For most of their day, the larged headed llama has also been estimated to act much like most camelids, spending most of their time grazing in herds in their territory.
The larged headed llamas decided to migrate to South America for unknown reasons in a process known as the Great American Interchange during the Pliocene period. They
After some time in South America, the larged headed llama, because of the slightly colder but wetter environment, started to evolve generation by generation, creating animals like the guacca who has a slightly thicker coat but shorter legs. The Guacca eventually evolved into the current day llama.
Structural Adaptation
1. Teeth and structure of head
A larged headed llama will have two sets of teeth in its lifetime, much like humans, gorillas and.baboons The first set of teeth isn't put into much use, seeing that the larged headed lamma usually feeds from its mother. The second set of teeth however, which finishs growing by the end of its first birthday is comprised of thirty two teeth- a mixture of canines, incisors, premolars and molars, helps the larged headed llama alot when it eats. The canines are used to hold down the grass, the incisors are used to shear the strands apart, the premolars, located bewteen the canine and molars, and the molars are used to grind and chew food.This effective combination breaks down the grass into little shreds before swallowing, meaning that the digestion time will be a lot faster, seeing that a large headed llama often eats up to eight percent of its own weight per day. To add to this, the larged headed llama has a much larger head in proportion to its body than most other animals . This is because they need extremely large muscles attached to their jaws in order to help them chew through long periods of time.
Environmental pressure that caused this specific placement of teeth and the largeness of the head is the type and amount of food they eat. Grass takes a lot to break down because of its steady build and because a large proportion of it is made out of fibre.
2. Size (especially length of neck)
The larged headed llama is the largest camelid on earth to date. Some adult larged headed llamas can reach the height of over three metres measured from head to feet and the average height is two metres and a half. Their average weight is over two hundred kilograms. Since larged headed llamas migrated to the South America to live later on at the period, size became extremely important to them as the snowing in places like the Andes mountain often prevented them from being able to get food. Their bodies, being so large, could store alot of fat for them when there was still some grass left. Their long necks allowed them to reach weeds already covered lightly be snow. Having a long neck also means that they can eat in a much more comfortable position and could escape faster if they spot enemies as their front legs do not need to be bent while eating. Also, it can look, in one glance, over a larger distance then animals with shorter necks.
An environmental pressure which may have formed this particular adaptation is how hard food is to find in the time period larged headed llamas were living in. That and the constant need to stay alert in case they get attacked by predators whilst finding things to eat may have caused them to have a longer neck and a larger torso.
Behavioural Adaptation
1. Communication Method
Larged headed llamas communicate with a unique set of body movements and sounds. For example, when another herd approaches their territory, they will let out a loud and high pitched scream to scare them off. However, if the larged headed llama who approaches is in the herd, the llamas will not only let them pass but also emit a low hum and nuzzle them with their head as a sign of welcome. Another example is when llamas discover something new. Even if the object is not producing any sort of sound, their ears will immediately stand tall and their tails will start wagging as a way to attract their herd's attention. Another obvious posture is when the animal feels threatened by others in the herd. They will stand tall and throw their heads back to make themselves seem stronger.
The environmental pressure that made it neccessary for all larged headed llamas to learn this set of communication method , developed by the llamas themselves, is because that larged headed llamas like to live in herds . In order to show each other what they mean instantly, clear symbols like those listed above are being used.
2. Spitting
Spitting is a unique defense for camels and llamas. A sticky, green, sour (if you happen to taste it) and extremely smelly substance is fired by the camel when it feels threatened. That substance is actually cod taken from the first rumen (refer to physiological adaptation below for the definition for rumen) and is usually half digested grass or hay. As they prepare to launch their attack, their ears will be drawn as back as possible and their heads will be manuveured pretty close to the head of its target so that the chance of missing becomes very low. After the pellet leaves the mouth, a larged headed llamas mouth will usually hang open for the next ten to fifteen minutes as the taste is so bad. That or, if there is more food nearby, it will try to sweeten the feeling of its mouth and gouge its mouth with that. Spitting is normally the last warning it gives whatever is approaching it before attacking it with its legs or trying to ram them with its strong chest. Spitting is a trait carried over to evolved versions of camelids.
Spitting is a way to tell the enemy that a llama is being serious. The environmental pressure which has caused the invention of spitting is because spitting is mostly used on organisms which the larged headed llama do not want to cause bodily harm in the first place, but is annoyed at the way they are acting near them. It is important that spitting exists, because it is often used as a way to discipline younger larged headed llamas while adult larged headed llamas wanted to tell them off, but they in no means, want to hurt them permantly.
Physiological Adaptation
1. Stomach
A larged headed llama's stomach is divided into three compartments.
The first section is known as the rumen and is the place food arrives at once it passes through the esophagus. As the rumen fills up or at the llamas' own leisure, it will regurgitate the food inside it and rechew it strand by strand, further mixing it with their siliva. The rechewed food is known as cud. It is possible to spot the cud travelling up its throat as it regurgitates. Usually, the first compartment of the stomach will retract three to four times per minute for food to go back up to the larged headed llama's mouth. After the food has been rechewed, it is sent down to the second compartment where the same procedure happens to it. In the second compartment, there is also a cell lining which helps ferment the cud. By the time the grass has passed through the third compartment, nearly all nutrients would have been absorbed by the llamas and what remains is made into small pellets ready to be excreted. The same process also happens to any liquids they consume, except that the larged headed llama will not chew on that.
An environmental pressure that could have given rise to this adaption is the fact that food can be hard to find (especially if the llamas are living in the desert and not in grasslands) so holding onto the nutrients becomes extremely important. That or improper digestion which may lead to stomach aches, pain, vomiting and such.
Bibliography
- Extinct large-headed llama fact sheet, 2009. (2009). Retrieved from
http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/_extinct/llama_extinct